Nanjing Arts & Culture

Being one of the four ancient capitals of China, Nanjing has always been a cultural center attracting intellectuals from all over the country. In the Tang and Song dynasties, Nanjing was a place where poets gathered and composed poems reminiscent of its luxurious past. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the city was the official imperial examination center for the Jiangnan region, again acting as a hub where different thoughts and opinions converged and thrived.

Today, there are frequent acrobatics or Chinese opera performances in the city. With a long cultural tradition and strong support from local educational institutions, Nanjing is commonly viewed as a "city of culture" and one of the more pleasant cities to live in China.


Nanjing Operas and Dance Performances

Some of the leading art groups of China are based in Nanjing and they include the Qianxian Dance Company, Nanjing Dance Company, Jiangsu Peking Opera Institute, Nanjing Xiaohonghua Art Company and many more.

Jiangsu Province Kun Opera is one of the best theatres for Kunqu, China's oldest stage art. It is considered a conservative and traditional troupe. Nanjing also has professional opera troupes for the Yang, Yue (Shaoxing), Xi and Jing (Chinese opera varieties) as well as Suzhou pingtan, spoken theatre, and puppet theatre.

Theaters in Nanjing

Jiangsu Performance Group
Address: No. 20 Xiaohuowa Lane, Baixia District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8453-2116

Nanjing Apollo Theater
Address: No. 24 Zhongshan East Road, Baixia District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8460-9981

People's Great Theater
Address: No. 25 Yanggongjing Street, Baixia District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8445-2899

Cinemas in Nanjing

Nanjing Heping Cinema
Address: No. 110 Zhongshan North Road, Gulou District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8322-7222

Nanjing Shangying International Cinema
Address: 3/F Xinchengshi Square, No. 99 Caochangmen Street, Xiaguan District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8622-3345

Jinling Worker Cinema
Address: No. 25 Hongwu Road, Baixia District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8470-672

Teahouses in Nanjing

Tianming Teahouse
A teahouse in a classic-style garden
Address: No. 1 Dazhongting, Gulou District (Drum Tower District), Nanjing

Galleries in Nanjing

Elegance Gallery
Address: No. 70 Matai Road, Gulou District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8360-9627

Gulou Art Gallery
Address: No. 9 Building, Beijing West Road, Gulou District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8588-8828

Huaiyu Tang Gallery
Address: Building 5, No. 28 Daguang Road, Baixia District, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8461-2200

Museums in Nanjing

The Jiangsu Art Gallery is the largest gallery in Jiangsu Province, presenting some of the best traditional and contemporary art pieces of China. Also the Nanjing Museum is a must see for travelers as it has a collection of more than 420 thousand pieces, including about 2,000 that are rare and valued. Many other smaller-scale galleries also have their own special exhibitions.

Learn to Speak Mandarin ChineseJiangning Museum
Address: Zhushan Linyuan, Jiangning County, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 5216-7730

Nanjing Museum
Address: No. 321 Zhongshan East Road, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 8480-2119

Lishui Museum
Address: No. 21 Baota Road, Yongyang Town, Lishui County, Nanjing
Tel: (8625) 5722-5258

NOTE: Although this information is correct at the time of our web publication, it is still advised that you call the phone number and confirm the address before going to the venue because some venues may have changed their telephone numbers or address locations.